Thorns and Roses: 08.05.05

Airline passengers who usually find something else to do, such as
read magazines, during pre-flight emergency instructions may find
themselves listening more attentively after the near-miraculous escape
of 309 passengers along with the crew from an Air France crash in
Toronto this week.

Flight 358 from Paris was landing during a thunderstorm when it ran
off the runway and into a brushy area. It seemed to horrified witnesses
that a massive tragedy was in the offing. Instead, the crash was a
demonstration of pluck, training and courage.

In less than two minutes, the plane had been evacuated; most
occupants were out in the first minute.

The airliner's crew was praised by Air France officials for the
quick evacuation of the passengers, who escaped with only minor
injuries.

The evacuation came not a moment too soon. Within minutes, fire
broke out. Give ROSES to the crew and passengers for their quick
action.

Slugger strikes out

Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro not only gets a garland of
THORNS, he is getting serious attention from Congress. It seems that he
is the target of an investigation on possible perjury charges.

It all stems from his sworn testimony March 17 on the use of banned
steroids in professional baseball. "I have never used steroids.
Period," Palmeiro said. Whoops. On Aug. 1, Palmeiro was suspended for
10 days after he tested positive.

True, Palmeiro is just one of several major league baseball players
to come to grief on the steroids issue. But that earlier unequivocal
denial of steroid use puts him in a specially unflattering light.

Appalling cruelty

A Jourdanton public works supervisor got only a reprimand, but he
gets a bushel of THORNS here after ordering his crews to drown six
stray dogs at the city sewer plant. Seems that Chantan Morin decided
that the regular euthanization method was too costly. He ordered that
the dogs' cages be dropped into the water.

Give a ROSE to the unidentified young man who witnessed the July 11
incident while doing community service work; he told his mother, who
informed city officials.